Sectional cabinet construction



Jan. 31, 1956 T. M. DUNHA'M SECTIONAL CABINET CONSTRUCTION J17 v5.27 FarZ /WM s Mfiwwmvr p? 52 5 Filed April 15, 1953 SECTIONAL CABINETCONSTRUCTION Thomas M. Dunham, Aurora, 11]., assignor to AuroraEquipment Company, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationApril 15, 1953, Serial No. 348,869

2 Claims. (Cl. 312111) This invention relates to a cabinet constructionand more particularly to super-imposed interchangeable cabinets adaptedto be conveniently interlocked in stacked relation.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved cabinet structurewhereby super-imposed or stacked cabinets may be readily interlocked oneto the other and also held against relative lateral displacement.

In accordance with the general features of this invention, there isprovided in a sectional cabinet construction, super-imposed cabinets,each having a top, a bottom and spaced sides, the top at one end of thecabinets having projected therefrom adjacent its side edges a pair ofupwardly extending tabs, each generally aligned with a side of thecabinet for engaging over the side of the cabinet immediately thereaboveto prevent relative lateral displacement of the super-imposed cabinets,the sides of the cabinet each having a slot vertically aligned with thetabs of the super-imposed cabinets and each tab having a pronginterlocked over an edge of the slot in the side of the upper cabinetengaged by the tab.

Another feature of the invention relates further to interlocking thesuper-imposed cabinets at their other ends by a tab extending from oneengaging over the edge of a slot in the other so that the super-imposedcabinets are interlocked at at least three spaced points or areas.

Other objects and features of this invention may more fully appear fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof andin which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing two superimposed cabinetsembodying the features of this invention and showing the cabinetsequipped with slidable drawers;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the drawers omitted and withthe cabinets separated in the process of assembling together;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed cross-sectional view takenon the line III-III of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows and showing generally how a rear tab on one cabinet engages aside of the upper cabinet and has a tang interlocked over the edge of aslot in the upper cabinet; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken generally on theline IV-IV of Figure 2 showing the front tab and slot arrangement of thecabinets and illustrating the tab in interlocking position.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference character 1 designates generally a sheet metal cabinetwhich is adapted to be arranged instacked formation. For purposes ofsimplicity, I have, in Figures 1 and 2, only shown two cabinets althoughit will be appreciated that any suitable number may be super-imposed oneupon the other in stacked relationship. Since the cabinets I are allsubstantially identical in construction, it is believed that the samenumerals may be used on corresponding parts or elements of each of thecabinets.

Each of these cabinets includes a top 2, vertical spaced United StatesPatent 2,733,112 Patented Jan. 31, 1956 sides 3, and a bottom 4 with thefront end formed open to receive a drawer D (Figure 1). The drawer D isof the slidable type and more specifically is the subject matter of myco-pending patent application, Serial No. 339,833, filed March 2, 1953.

The drawer D is of the type adapted to accommodate tiny parts althoughit is to be understood that the cabinets may be used for other types ofdrawers or as mere bins or shelving if so desired without departing fromthe spirit and intent of this invention.

The top 2 has punched from it, adjacent the rear end of the cabinet, apair of spaced upwardly extending tabs 5 which are generally alignedwith the sides 33. Each of these tabs has punched centrally of it aprong or tang 6 adapted to be turned over and around the edge of anopening 7 in the side of the cabinet immediately thereabove as shown inFigure 3. It will be noted from Figure 3 that when the tab 6 isinterlocked around the edge of the opening 7, the tab 5 is also inengagement with the outer surface of the side 3 of the upper cabinet. Inthis manner the cabinets are held against relative lateral displacementby the tabs on opposite sides of the cabinet.

In order further to accentuate the interlock between the super-imposedcabinets (Figure 4), the bottom of each cabinet is provided with adownwardly depending tab 8 adjacent the front or open end of the cabinetwhich is adapted to project through an aperture or slot 9 in the top 2of the lower cabinet. This tab 8 is adapted to be turned around andinterlocked with an edge of the aperture or slot 9 in the same manner asthe prongs 6 are interlocked with the edges of opening 7.

While 1 preferably form the tabs 5-5 and 8 by punching them from themetal of the cabinet, it will, of course, be appreciated that they couldbe made otherwise as long as they are integral with or secured to thecabinet. Also, while the cabinet 1 may be made from one piece of sheetmetal, it is, of course, appreciated that it could be made otherwise andwith other materials without departing from the spirit and intent ofthis invention.

In shipping the cabinets the tabs 55 may be temporarily disposed in theplane of the top 2 and similarly the tab 8 may be temporarily disposedinto the plane of the bottom 4 so that each cabinet may be readilypackaged in flat form without having any interference from projectingtabs. Of course, upon arrival at destination and installation of thecabinet, the tabs 55 may be turned upwardly and the tab 8 may be turneddownwardly as and for the purposes previously described.

From the foregoing, it is clear that not only do I provide for theinterlocking of the super-imposed cabinets at three spaced points but,in addition, through the means of the spaced side tabs 5 I am enabled toutilize the tabs as abutments to prevent relative lateral displacementof the super-imposed cabinets.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a sectional cabinet construction including superimposed cabinets,each having a top, a bottom, and spaced side walls, connecting meansbetween said cabinets comprising pre-formed tabs and prongs formed fromthe material of the cabinet and deformable into parallelism with theplanes of the side walls for overlapping engagement with thesuperimposed cabinet side walls, said superimposed cabinet side wallshaving preformed slots laterally alignable with said prongs and tabs,each of said prongs being pressed over the edge of a slot alignedtherewith into tight fitting engagement therewith to prevent relativelateral displacement of the superimposed cabinet, said superimposedcabinets having their contacting bottom and top walls provided with apre-formed prong integral with the material of one of said contactingwalls and deformable at the time of assembly from the plane thereof intoa pre-formed slot in the other wall, said latter prong being pressedover the edge of the cooperating slot to firmly secure the cabinets toone another in a vertical direction.

2. In a sectional cabinet construction including superimposed cabinets,each having a top, a bottom, and spaced side walls, connecting meansbetween said cabinets comprising'pre-formed tabs and prongs formed fromthe material of the cabinet and deformable into parallelism with theplanes of the side walls for opposed overlapping engagement with thesuperimposed cabinet side walls, said superimposed cabinet side wallshaving preformed slots laterally alignable with said prongs and tabs,each of said prongs being pressed over the edge of a slot alignedtherewith interiorly into the cabinet for substantially concealed tightfitting engagement therewith to prevent relative lateral displacement ofthe superimposed cabinet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS768,364 Hines Aug. 23, 1904 907,507 Kerr Dec. 22, 1908 920,670 Scott May4, 1909 1,308,647 Stuck July 1, 1919 2,043,893 Hedges June 9, 19362,169,769 Regenhardt Aug. 15, 1939 2,203,716 Bergman June 11, 19402,386,115 Holthouse Oct. 2, 1945

